Illuminated umbrella



March 27, 1945. A. l.. CAMPBELL 2,372,471

ILLUMINATED UMBRELLA Filed Oct. 12, 1943 VINVENTOR.

14n/7a L Camp be// Patented Mar. 27, 1945 ILLUIVIINATED UMBRELLA Anna L. campbell, Feastervine, Pa.

Application October 12, 194.3, Serial No. 505,987

' 1 claim.` (01. lesa- 47) My invention relates to an umbrella, and re lates particularly to lan umbrella having a ray emitting device which is visible in the darkness.

In my prior Patent No. 2,246,836 patented June 24, 1941, I disclose an umbrella, wherein the staff n or stick is made of a methacrylic resin or acrylic acid product sold under the trade-mark Lucite which staff or stick transmits rays of light there through.

My present invention provides for an umbrella wherein the covering is elevated or lowered by mechanism which does not in any manner obstruct the passage of light rays through the staff or stick, and wherein the :canopy or cover may 'be held in an open or a closed position.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide in an umbrella. a staff or stick which possesses good optical properties for the passage of light rays, a covering or canopy that may be locked in an elevated or a lowered position without in any manner obstructing the passage of light rays, and which has a suitable source of electricity for creating the light rays.

It is another object of my invention lto provide in an umbrella a staff made of a non-breakfable, flexible,V sturdy material, which may be easily molded or machined, which will not collect dirt, and which need not be painted since the material of the staff may be dyed.

Other objects of my invention are to provide lan improved device of Ithe character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly eiicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in View, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description., when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig..1 is a front elevational view'of an umbrella embodying my invention withthe covering and supporting ribs removed.

Fig. 2l is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is an end View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the umbrella with the covering or canopy and supporting ribs omitted for clarity of observation.

Fig. 5 is a view of a complete umbrella embodying my invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, I show` an umbrella which includes a staff or stick, generally designated as A, made of a methyl methacrylate resin or acrylic acid product, also sold under the trade-mark Lucite wherein lrays of light can be transmitted through the stick. The stick A is relatively long ias compared to its diameter and is threaded at Ieach of its ends lll, i 2. One threaded end i9 of the staff A re y ceives a hollow handle, generally designated as lil B, which is larger in diameter than the stick,

and wherein a push button controlled light :ray unit is housed. The flash-light unit or light v ray unit furnishes the rays of light which illu- `minate the staff or stick A.

An electric light bulb I4 is screwed within a :casing I6 which casing abuts against a corner of the battery chamber I8, and one end of the bulb abuts against an electric vbattery 23. A spring pressediwire conductor 22 contacts the outside of the battery when a push button 2li is pressed thereby completing the electriccircuit through the metallic cylindrical wall I6 which surrounds the battery 20 and the cylindrical wall extends from the spring contact 22 to the bulb casing I6.

The battery 20 rests on an insulating disk 28 in order to prevent the electric circuit from being continually completed; if this were the case then the life of the battery would be relatively short because it would soo-n become inactive. When the push button 24 is pressed inwardly the electric circuit through the electric bulb I4 is completed through the conductor 22 which is electrically connected to the metallic wall 2B, and the bulbi casing I6.

A. cap 3@ making a threaded engagement with the handle B holds the metal battery cylinder I6 in position, and the cap 30 has a central. opening 32 therein so that the push button 24 may pass freely through the opening.

Adjacent the handle B is a stationary locking member, generally designated as C, which has a portion 34 tightly gripping and embracing the stick A; another portion 36 of the stationary locking member C is of a larger diameter than the stick gripping portion 34 so that it is spaced from the stick to form a cover y:for one hook 38 of a double hook, generally designated as D. The canopy closing hook 38 is adapted t0 fit between the stick A and the large diameter locking member 36 which forms a catch or clasp 4B for a slidable closing member, generally designated as E, to which the hook 38 is attached when the canopy is to be held in a closed position. A suitable opening 42 in the stationary locking member C denes the catch @it and receives a bent portion of the hook so that a locking relationship exists The slidable closing member 4Eis a cylindrical..

member slid in a longitudinal direction along the stick A. Radially extending from the cylindrical member E is a pair of spaced rib anchoring mem-x4 bers 48, 50 for the purpose of holding ribs (not shown) which are engaged intermediatethdendsif of canopy supporting ribs (not shown).

The double hook or double latchD is pivoted at; substantially its center 44 toxtheslidablercloses1 ing member E and has one hook or latch 38. pressed outwardly by a spring 52 so thatA each` hook 38 and 46A has a tendency tograsplitscom-l i plementary stationary lockingicatch or;keeper.,40-.

and 54 respectively.

The rib anchoring memberfrFtightly graspsg.-

the outside of the stick A near the Atip of the `stick and the rib anchoring member-F has .thekeepen` 54 integrally formed ,therewith to Ireceive theclosing latch, lock or hookufi.v

It is to be noted that kthe slidable closing mem,-

ber E, the stationary` locking-memberC,l or the rib anchoring member 4J5* .have Ano .portion thereof pierce the stick A, hence the. passage of'rays-of light through thestickis not lhindered.i

Different colored vdisks may benplaced across thetop of the bulb to giveorproduce diierentrA color effects through vthe-transparent stick-A..

An enlarged tip 56. isthreadedlyA engaged-...toy

theend of thestickA to;enlargethe,dispersionfof f light which is directed through the stick:A,-,thus:

from a small light source a relatively large light is visible.

My invention may be applied to a rain type of umbrella or even a beach umbrella, and the light source, contained in the handle B may be removed and used alone simply by unscrewing the handle B, or if a bayonet joint is used to turn the handle B, or if a bayonet joint is used between the handle and stick then it is only necessary to turn the handle to separate the` handle andstick. The control pushbutton 24 alsomayv be located on the side instead of the end of the handle.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended `tast-illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as ClalmEdr..

I claim as my invention: An umbrella comprising a, transparent stick for transmitting light .rays,.means" in said umbrella to create light: rays, a stationary locking memes ber,- m0untedon ASaid stick, and tightly gripping;

theoutside ofvsaidsticltgaJ ribanchoring member mounted on said stick, a slidable member onv said stick adapted to be slidable between the station-Lr ary locking member and the rib anchoring mem-r ber, a complementary keeper, means to lock saidy' umbrella in either open or closed position, said: Imeans including a double hook ypivotally mounted on said slidable member to engage said come plementary keeper,r said vkeeper having a lower.y portion thereof tightly gripping vthe outside of: said` stick and the upperportion of said keeper,- expanded awayrfrom said stick, and one of `said 'z hooks being adapted. tomove inside of said expanded portion effecting detachable locking en.-U l

gagement With said keeper.

ANNA L.. CAMPBELL.,l 

